Conveyer system



Jan. 10, 192%,

A. N. KLYVER CONVEYER SYSTEM Fi led March 29. 1927 2 Sheets-$heet l WIT Jan. 10, 1928.

1,655,467 A. N. KLYVER CONVEYER SYSTEM Filed March 29. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lVlf/VTOR WWW/grad Patented Jan. 1Q, 1928.

1 f-UNITED STATES 1,655,467 PATENT, oFFmE.

ALBERT n. 'KLYVER, or sxnaoosn, NEW YonK; assienon'ro THE nAMsoN comm, Y or SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION or-MAssAo Usn'rrs.

CONVEYER SYSTEM.

Application filed March 29, 1927. Serial No .;17 9,206.

This invent-ion relates to certain new and useful improvements in conveyer systems.

The invention pertains more specifically to an automatic means for selectively diverting carriers from one track into any one of a number of other tracks, and the main object of the invention is to provide for a substantial increase in the number of selector de-' vices whereby a corresponding increase in the number of main tracks and branch tracks leading therefrom be effected;

Heretotore structures have been used in which a'tabor teeler finger is mounted in some manner to lie in the path of movement of selecting pins which extend upwardly from the carrier or box moving along the conveyer, and the tabs have been disposed at various positions transversely of the con- 'veyer for "actuation by diflerent pins ar- .20 ranged in a row transversely of the carrier,

j minating at diiierent elevations above the 7 carriers in combination with special operating tabs, resulting in marked advantages in a conveyer-system. v v V 4 I A further object resides in the particular construction of the tab mechanism separately and incombination with a number of-trans verse rows otsockets for selector pins ordevices terminating at dlfl'erent heights above the carrier andin which a pin of a'pa-rticu lar height only in line with a particular tab actuates'that tab to operate aswitch'or de fleeting bar, whereby carriersmoving along the conveyers are deflected on to another or branch track and any pinor pins which pro-' ject a greaterdistance above the carrier are adapted to move the tab to permit the passage of these higher pins, if any, independently 0t and without effecting a movement-of the switch, or deflecting bar so that the carrier may pass freely along without deflection andany pinor pins of lesser elevation pass freely under the tab without moving the tab.

1 Other objects and advantages relate to the 7 detail of the structure and the form and .relationof the parts thereof, all as will more vfully appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, 1n which 2- Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan View of a y I conveyer system embodying this invention. a Figure 2 isa fragmentary elevation of a portion of the conveyer system shown in F igure Figure 3 is a vertical section through the tab mechanism of this invention, and'through a fragmentary portion of a carrier illustrating three selecting pins of varying heights arranged in line, one behind the other.

Figure 4 is an elevation of the tab mechanism of this invention. i

Figure 5 is a vertical section through the tab mechanism.

s Figure 6 is a View partially in section of a tabv adapted to be used for actuation by the highest pin the other pins in line passing beneath the tab.

Figure 7 is an elevation of the latch and its releasing mechanism. 7 k The apparatus here illustrated as an embodiment of the invention comprises a main track having side rails '1, and '2, such 'rails being provided with series of journals 3 for the reception of the axles of rollers Resting upon the several rollers is the upper run of an endless belt 5., the lower runof which is not, illustrated. Such belt may be driven from any suitable source manner. o I I Diverging from the main track is asecond t'ack comprising the, side rails .6-. and

having journal openings for the axles 8- of a serles of rollers -9-. This sec 0nd or branch track may or may not be pro-- 'vided with an endless belt, as desired, and is here illustrated as not provided withpowen.

driven impelling means and represents, for lnstance, the upper end of a downwardly 1nchned gravity conveyer track. However, 1t

will be understood that this disclosure is merely illustrative of a fragmentary embodiment of the invention, and is in nowise limited thereby.

. of power and in any suitable and well known A guide rail 10 is provided extending from the main track some distance along the side ofthe branch track to prevent carriers moving along the track from beingthrust sidewise off-the 'con'veyer tracks when deflected by the action of the switch bar 11 At a point adjacent the juncture-of the branch track with the main track --t'here is provided a pair of upright posts -l2. positionedupon opposite sides of the main track and secured respectively to the side rails l and 2-.

These posts extend somedistance'above the main track and are provided with brackets 13" in which the transversely;extending 1'ocl "-shaft- 1 iis iournale'd. YIhe rO'ck shaft 14 is-posit-ioned some distance above the main track so as to "be outgof 'the path of movement of the-carriers moving along the track and the rocking movement ofthe shaft l-iis designed to actuate the switch "or deflecting bar r11-:. This Qdefleeting bar -11 isshown in lllS'llOI'lIlfll position in full lines (-Figfl) and is out: of

the path of movement of carriers pass ng along the main track,-and for the purpose ofishifting the switch bar to 'ajposition diagonally across the maintrack, the shaft -14 is provided with a crank-arm -15- connected by link -16, to another cranka'rm l7 securedto shaft 18Yj0ur naled in bearings upon the'post 12-r;below the 'siderails 1 and .2 ;'of the main track.

Theshzt'ft -18-- extends transversely of themaintrack and at az'pointadjacent the side rail l it is provided with a-crankarm 18- connected by a links -19- to a crank-arm '20secure'd' to a vertlcalshaft -21 journaled in bearings '22- secured tothe side rail 1 and the longitudinal frame bar v The switch or deflecting bar l1-is1secured to the rock shaft 21 in any suitable manner, and at a point preferably slightly above the upper run of belt 5. A brace bar 2l:- is secured to the upper end of shaft '21 and has its'otherend connected to the deflectingbar 11--near the outer 'end of the latter.

Spring means is, preferably provided. for maintaining the deflecting barin'the position shown in-*Figure 1 with its end portion in contact with the stop 25 andfor the purpose of illustration, there is here. shown spring ,-26 connected to, a bracket on the sideflrail -1- and'to the end of'fthe rockarm 20-.

Suitable mechanism is providedjfor' rocking the shaft 1 l to shift the switch or deflectingbar 11 to the position shown in dotted lines (Figure 1) "diagonally of and across the main track, and the deflecting bar maybe temporarily held in this positionby a latch mechanism 27 of any suitable and 'well'known construction, andreleased inany suitable and well known manner, as for instance by the passage of a carrier over inn-actuating lever 28'- disposed inthe and 7: and whenever a carrier rests on the lever 28 the shaft is rocked, in

.turn rocking arm 8lconnected by link to a rock arm -83 on shaft 84 which inturn rocks arm 85- on shaft 55% to draw the latch 27 downwardly against'the actionof spring -87, thereby releasing deflecting bar -+1lwhich returns to; normal 'position and deflecting bar will not be again qlatched in its carrier de fleeting position until the carrier movesfrom contact witlrthe lever 28' so that when branch track is full no further carriers will be'directed into it. 7

'As'stated, when' the deflecting bar 11' is released by the latch mechanism '27, it is returned to the normal positionshown in full lines (Figure 1) byspring '-26 to permit the free passage of carriers along themain track.

The'tab mechanism of this invention comprises a main lever 30preferably consisting of an elongated strip of metalha'ving itsendformed with aibearing for the reception of the shaft '1 l-. The main lever -;30is free to rotate-or rock about the shaft --1i without effecting the movement of the shaft. In additionythe' shaft 14 adjacent the lever 30 is provided with a rock'arm 31' pinned or'otherwise secured to;,the shaft'for simultaneous rocking movement and-the rock arm 31 is provided with a; pin or stud -32 in: front of the lever 30. i

At an intermediate point along the length of the lever there'is provided a U- shaped bracket .33 having its base secured to: the lever -30 and its two'sides projecting rearwardly therefrom and spaced apart rand provided'with openings in which the shaft -'3i' 5 is journalle'd for rotary movement. A second lever is mounted 'upon'the shaft -34- and this levermaybe in= theform'ofa strip of metal having one end bent around the shaft -34 and pinned or otherwise secured thereto-for simultaneous rotary movement.

In addition,- outside the U-shaped bracket '33 a latch member 36- ismounted upon-the shaft '31 and pinned or otherwise secured thereto for simultaneous rotary moven'ient. and the hook end '37- of the latch is adapted to normally engage or lie slightly forwardly of the rock arm 31.

In orderto normally maintain the latch mechanism and the lever in the positionshown in Figure 3, a spring 3S- is providedpositioned between the head 39- ofa bolt 4()- which extends through .an opening in the lever 35 and is secured to the lever 30' in any suitable manner, as

In addition, at the lowerend of the lever c35*1there is provideda 'stud' -42 secured to the lever -35 and extending through an opening in the lever 30- and projecting some distance forwardlyof the lever -30 in normal position of the tab mechanism, and provided at itsend'witha contact plate or disk -4A with which certain of the selectingpins are adapted to contact;

The opening in the'lever 30 through which stud -42 extends is somewhat larger'than the cross-sectional areaof the stud' to permit free movement of the stud through the lever30-.

The forward portion of a, carrier A is illustrated in Fig 3 and at the front end of'the carrier there are provided in this embodiment three transverse rows of sockets 45, 46 a11d -'t7 of different depth and inwhich transverse rows of pins +48- are" adapted to'be inserted. A pin as insocketf4;5- projects above the upper surface of the carr'ier'a distance somewhat greater than a pin '48 in socket -46 'andin a similarmannera' pin -48 in a socket i6- projectsabove the upper surface of'the carrier a distance somewhat greater than a pink- 48 in asocket 47. i In the structure shown in Flgure t, the

pin -48- as "for instance in a socket -f6 is designed for actuating the tab mechanism there shown to move the switch or deflecting arm -ll to. a position diagonally of the main track wherebythe carrier A will be deflected on to. the branch track, and this is effected by the pin 48,- striking the lower end of the lever 30- and moving the same forwardly} Such movement of lever 30-' carrying the latch -36:- into contact with the rockarni ,31- to thereby rock shaft l k and actuate the deflecting arm 1 '1'1- throu h medium of the crank arms and b c llnk arms described.

c The movement ofthe tab by, the pin -48- is of sufficient extent to move the. deflecting arm to the position shown (indetted lines (Figure 1.)

As a general rule, each; carrier will be provided with a sin le pin adapted to move a particular tab mechanism to actuate a pre determined switch ordeflecting bar. However, in some cases aplurality of pins may beutilized. Preferably all pins areformed of the same length andare utilized in connection with sockets of different depth, as illustrated, but; it ispossible toaccomplish the objects ofrthis invention by utilizing sockets of-the same or substantially the same depth in connection with pins of different lengths.

In Fi ure 3 there is; illustrated a nin in b v i one of the sockets -45- and this pin is adapted to terminate at 'a higher elevation than pinsin the sockets i6- and -4:7- aligned with the socket -45 but at the rear thereof. As shown,'the pin i8- in the socket 45 of Figure 3' is not intended to operate the deflecting bar which is actuated by the particular tab mechanism shown,'but is designed for actuating some other switch operated by another tab mechanism such as that shown in Fig. 6, and for that reason it must pass by the tab mechanism shown in Figure 3 without rocking the shaft 14L-, and this is effected by reason of the fact that the pin projects sufficiently above the carrier and a sufficient distance upwardly along the tab mechanism so as to til) come in contact with the disk 4A therea by rocking the lever 35 and the latch -36 to release the engagement of the latter with the rock shaft 3,1- to permit free .manner strike contact disk 44,- and release the tab from engagement with therock shaft 14 and the carrier will move freely along the track without deflection. A pin inserted in the socket 47 in line with the tab mechanism of Figure 3 Will strike the lower end of lever 30- Without releasing the latch -36 and in its movement will-therefore rock shaft l4 to operate the switch or deflecting bar connected to the shaft and the carrier will be deflected into the pre-determined track. As shown in Fig- 7 'ure 4, if the pin illustrated in full lines and adapted to rock shaft I14-- is a pin-48 in one of the sockets -46, a pin -48-- in asocket 47- will pass underneath the lever 30 and will not actuatefthe deflecting bar.

' In view ofthe'fact that only the pins that extend to the highest elevation above the carrier will strike the tab '-60-, all other pins, passing underneath it, it is not necessary that the tab -60 should be pro vided with any, means for releasing it from the shaft 4 and for that reason it may "height to strike the. disk -4et, nor by pins of a height to pass underneath. the lever -v-30, and by reason of this construction and arrangement of parts which permits the use of-a plurality ofrows of sockets'for receiving selecting pinsa rgreatlywincreased capacity of apparatus may be produced 1n whichindependent selective means is provided fordeterniining the particular track onto which a carrier :is deflected.

lInthe drawings I have illustrated a single 7 main track from, and a single switch. and switchoperat- .IillglUQCllZllllSll]. However, it will beunderstood that anynumber of main tracks may ibeiutilized, and thatany DUD'IbCY'Gf branch and one branch lcadingtheretracks may lead from-each main track withinthe capacity-o1 the socketsiprovided :tor the: reception 0t selecting pins, and that'at each"branch-track; at tab mechanism similar mechanisms terminating at'difi'erent elevations above the track combined with a plurality of selecting devices also terminating at different elevations above the track to correspondwith the pointsof termination of the respective tabs so that certain pins of certain heights will pass underneath the tab, certain pins of a different height will actuate the tab to operate the switch mechanism, and certain pins of-a still dili erent height will actuate the tab without operatingthe switch mechanism. 1

And altho I have shown and described aspecific construction of apparatus and particular details 'of'tform and arrangen'ient of the parts'thereof-as constituting an embodiment of the invent-ion, I do not desir'e to restrict myself to the same as various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of t-h: appended claims,

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, in combination, a deflecting mechanism, actu ating members'ot varyingl'ieights disposed to engage such mechanism, means whereby an actuating member of a. given height upon engagement will operate said mechanism, and means wherebyactuating members of difierent heights will engage said mechanism without making it operative.

QQIn a device'of' the class described, in combination,=-a deflecting mechanism," an in termediate member releasably engaged with such mechanism, actuating members of vary ing heightsdisposed to engage said intermediate "member successively, and means whereby such actuating members. except :one of predetermined height engaging said intermediate member will release thesame from engagement with said mechanism.

3. In a conveyer system a I conveying means, cars carryingselecting pins of. varying heights,; a-v deflecting mechanism means whereby such mechanism -w1ll be made operative when engaged by PlIlS ot a glVBIl height, and means whereby pinsotother heights may. engage saidmeehanism without causing it tobecome operative.

a In a conveyer system, a conveying means, cars carrying pins or varying he ghts, a deflecting mechamsm, an intermediate member of said mechanism disposed in the path of said pins, means whereby ZLllfPlIlS of a given height .engagingsaid-intermed-iate member will make operativew said :defleeting mechanism, andmeans whereby pins of difierent heights engaging said intermediate member -will release the. same from the deflecting mechanism.

51A, conveyer system comprisingza-carrier having a plurality oftransverse rows lecting pinsockets. adapted for supporting pins terminating at different heights above the carrier, a switch and a tab mechanism moved by a pinof one height to :actuate. the switch and moved by a pin offa different height independently of the. switch.

7. A conveyer system comprising a carrier, a switcln'socketsfor receiving selecting devicesrarranged one behind the other upon thecarrier lengthwise of the conveyer and adapted for supporting pins terminating at different heights above'the carrier, a, rock shaft, a tab-mechanism mounted on the shaft to rock the shaft but releasable therefrom for free rocking movement when actuated bya' pin of predetermined height.

8. In a 'device of thefclass'describedua deflecting mechanism, :aplurality of: actuating members successively engaging said mechanism, and means wherebyccrtain actu ating members may engage said mechanism without actuating the "deflecting member of said mechanism.

9. In a conveyer system a deflecting mechanism, a plurality of actuating members adapted to engage with a portion of said mechanism, and means whereby said mechanism is not operated when engagedby certain of said actuating members. I

lea

determined height contacts with said mecha nism and forreleasing said tab mechanism from the rock shaft and permitting it to freely rotate thereon when a pin of a different height contacts with said mechanism.

l1.' In a conveyer system a deflecting bar,

. a rock shaft for actuating the deflecting bar,

a lever rotatably mounted on the rock shaft, a second lever rotat-ably mounted on the first named lever, and means supported by the first named lever and adapted for actuation by the second named lever for securing the first-named lever to the rock shaft whereby rocking movement of the firstnamed lever rocks the shaft.

12. In a conveyer system a deflecting bar, a rock shaft for actuating the deflecting bar, a tab for actuating the rock shaft including a lever rotatably mounted on the shaft, a second lever rotatably carried by the first lever, a latch rocked by movement of the second named lever and a rock arm rigidly secured to the rock shaft and adapted to engage the latch.

13. In a conveyer system a deflecting bar, a rock shaft for actuating the deflecting bar, a tab for actuating the rock shaft ineluding a lever rotatably mounted on the r shaft, a second lever rotatably carried by the first lever, a latch rocked by movement of the second named lever, a rock arm rigidly secured to the rock shaft and adapted to engage the latch, and spring means normally holding the second named lever in a position Where engaged.

14. In a conveyer system, a deflecting bar, a rockshaft for actuating the deflecting bar,

a tab for actuating the rock shaft including the rock arm and latch are a lever rotatably mounted on the shaft, a second lever rotatably carried by the first lever, a latch rocked by movement of the second named lever, a rock arm rigidly secured to the rock shaft and adapted to engage the latch, springmeans normally holdmg the second named lever in a position where the rock arm and latch are engaged,

and a contact member carried by the second named lever and adapted to'be engagedby a portion of a carrier moving along the conveyer system to rock the second-named lever and release the rock arm from its engagement with the latch. i

15. In a device of the class describedfln combination, a deflecting mechanism, an in termediate member releasably engaged with said mechanism, actuating members of varyr ing heights disposed to engage said intermediate member in rotation, means whereby all actuating members of a predetermined height engaging said lntermediate member will release said intermediate member from engagement with said mechanism.

7 16. A conveyer system including atrack, a switch mechanism, a plurality of tabs depending above the track and terminating at different elevations above the track, carriers having selecting members terminating at different elevations above the track for actuating different tab mechanismsto operates respective switches and for rendering other tab mechanisms lnoperative to actuate their respectiveswltches.

' 17. In a' conveyer system, a track, cars movable along the track, actuating members extending different distances from the car or ALBERT N. KLYVER. 

